Notes that poor readers are known to do consistently worse than their normal reading peers on tasks of phonological processing. Discusses an increasing body of evidence, which points to deficits in speech perception as a source of subtle, but ramifying effects in reading impaired children and adults. Explains poor readers' difficulties in…

Discusses the nature of color vision defects as they relate to reading instruction. Suggests ways that teachers can adapt instruction to help provide maximal learning opportunities for the color deficient child. (RS)

Longitudinal findings on phonological awareness and progress in reading and spelling of 65 children from 4 years, 7 months to 6 years, 7 months strongly supported views that sensitivity to rhyme leads to awareness of phonemes, which in turn affects reading; and rhyme makes a direct contribution to reading that is independent of connection between…

Twelve children, aged 9-19, with severe/profound hearing impairments were instructed to read sentences with similes, metaphors, idioms, and proverbs, and to explain them. Subjects' performance differed significantly from the performance of a control group. Subjects' performance was dependent upon reading level and was variable across chronological…

Critically examines methodology used by Vincenzi (1987) in study reporting association between childhood depression and reading ability. Asserts that methodology does not support such a conclusion. Extends examination to the general literature on depression and cognitive impairment and argues that a clear association has yet to be demonstrated.…

The study found no significant difference between 50 deaf and 50 hearing readers' sensitivity to contextual build-up as evaluated in a cumulative cloze exercise, using readers at the eighth-, tenth-, and twelfth- grade levels. Differences in the number of deaf and hearing readers' responses were found at the fourth- and sixth-grade levels.…

Investigates whether orthographic processing ability in adults accounts for variance in individual word recognition and spelling skills. Finds that some individual differences in reading and spelling are caused by variation in orthographic processing skills linked to print exposure. (RS)

Reports two experiments evaluating the effect of map feature content on text recall by subjects of varying reading skill levels. Finds that both experiments support the conjoint retention hypothesis, in which dual-coding of spatial and verbal information and their interaction in memory enhance recall. (MM)

Ninety-three children (ages 10-12) were compared on phonological and visuospatial abilities. Children with a reading disability performed worse than nondisabled children on many visual and eye movement tasks. Sixty-eight percent of the variance in reading ability could be predicted by combining visual and phonological scores in a multiple…

Describes systematic assessment procedures as alternatives to standardized testing which yield more descriptive records of children's reading abilities. Notes that the assessment procedures are consistent with the contemporary understanding of reading which indicates that prior knowledge and the ability to use predictive skills greatly influence…

Shows that, at each grade level and overall in grades 1-6, poor readers are not seen by their peers or by themselves as personally and socially as "good" as are good readers. (SR)

Uses inconsistent expository and narrative passages presented one at a time. Finds that good readers were better able to verbally report on passage consistency following reading; students were more likely to look back at inconsistencies in narratives but not expository passages; and students were less able to recall expository passage information.…

Reviews research on lexical access (the process of getting information about a word from a mental dictionary). Discusses implications for comprehension development. Suggests that individual differences in comprehension depend on speed of lexical access as well as on speed of decoding. (SR)

Discusses a case study which suggests that educators should reexamine the way they presently teach reading and writing. Focuses on some of the educational/psychological contexts that influence the tacit reading/writing model of the subject. (MG)

Presents strategies teachers might use to assess and promote beginning readers' phonemic awareness, a factor shown to be strongly linked to the successful acquisition of reading ability. (MG)